Secrets to Success in an Engineering Management Role

Opportunities to improve efficiencies within the engineering field are always weighed against the financial gain. That balance is more important than ever as new technology continues to emerge. 

A survey of more than 1,175 global technology leaders found their top two areas of focus were business/digital strategy development and business/digital strategy execution.1 Organizations clearly need technical managers who can integrate technical knowledge with business acumen. 

A new ebook created by Northwestern's Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program explores the importance of this type of technical leader.

"Those leaders' value is felt beyond the C-suite," MEM director Mark Werwath said. "Managers who can navigate both business and technology bring added benefits up and down an organization." 

The MEM degree prepares experienced STEM professionals to develop management and leadership skills while strengthening their knowledge of traditional and emerging technologies.

The ebook, titled "The Secrets to Success in an Engineering Management Role" highlights eight types of roles where a MEM degree can be an asset: 

• Product management 
• Project management 
• Process management 
• Systems engineering 
• Consulting 
• Operations management 
• Logistics and supply chain management 
• Engineering management 

MEM alumni who work in each role shared their perspectives on the job and the value the role brings to a larger organization. Each section features a Q&A with a MEM graduate about their work, as well as a "secret" to success.

"Professionals with an MEM degree fulfill a very specialized niche in the market, the experienced engineer who has the training and education to enter into a technically oriented managerial role," Werwath said. "Through their stories we see how they — and MEM — are shaping the future of global business."